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Tuesday, March 14, 2017

While I'm not the least bit Irish, there's always been something about St. Patrick's day that I love. It's a fun holiday where people just set out to have a good time, and the Irish pride is something to behold. You get to meet so many new people and corn beef and hash is the best.

Without further ado, here are two series with Irish theme's and settings that I highly recommend.

Also, a special thanks to Bookhounds for always hosting. Happy reading!

The Falconer Series by Elizabeth May

One girl's nightmare is this girl's faery tale

She's a stunner.Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty.

She's a liar.But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she's leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.

She's a murderer.Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons—from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols—ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.

She's a Falconer.The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother's murder—but she'll have to save the world first.

Grace Knox has grown up hearing the folktales of her Irish ancestors, especially about the warriors who fought for control of Ireland. In 19th-century New York City, however, these legends are far from Grace's mind. She's much more concerned with how to protect her family from debt collectors, and whether her childhood friend Patrick Devlin will propose. Patrick is a member of the Fenian Brotherhood, a group of young Irish American men intent on fighting for the independence of their homeland, whatever the cost. Patrick and the Brotherhood use ancient magic to summon mythical warriors to join their fight to protect Ireland. One of them, Diarmid, finds himself drawn to Grace, and she to him. When Diarmid discovers that, in their desperation, the Brotherhood has also summoned a rival group of ancient warriors, he warns Patrick that there will be bloodshed. Grace is caught in the middle of two men she loves, and discovers she alone holds the power to save Ireland?but at a dangerous price.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Today Kara Swanson and Rockstar Book
Tours are revealing the cover for THE GIRL WHO COULD SEE, which releases June
1, 2017! Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card
and a copy of the eBook!

All her life Fern has been told she is
blind to reality—but what if she is the only one who can truly see?

Fern Johnson is crazy. At least, that’s
what the doctors have claimed since her childhood. Now nineteen, and one step
away from a psych ward, Fern struggles to survive in bustling Los Angeles.
Desperate to appear “normal,” she represses the young man flickering at the
edge of her awareness—a blond warrior only she can see.

Tristan was Fern’s childhood imaginary
hero, saving her from monsters under her bed and outside her walls. As she grew
up and his secret world continued to bleed into hers, however, it only caused
catastrophe. But, when the city is rocked by the unexplainable, Fern is forced
to consider the possibility that this young man isn’t a hallucination after
all—and that the creature who decimated his world may be coming for hers.

Exclusive Excerpt!

CHAPTER ONE

Present Time

On television, they never tell you how
cold it is.

They might show you the dimly lit room
or the hard, uninviting chairs—stark reminders that you have no power here.
They may depict the lonesome table separating you from the elderly agent with
the stone-grey eyes. But those cop shows never depict what a chilly affair an
FBI interrogation truly is. If their aim is to make this process as
intimidating as possible—it’s working.

“I don’t know where you’re from, miss
Johnson—but in LA, state-of-the-art buildings don’t just crumble.” His voice is
gravelly, matching the jagged lines of his dark skin and weathered face.

“Federal buildings, no less. There one minute and the next…destroyed.”

His tone chills me even more, and I tug
nervously on my scarf. His arms slowly unwind from his chest as he takes a
deliberate two steps toward me. “We’ve had everyone on the disaster—CIA, local
police, firemen…heck, we even called NASA. No one can find a plausible reason
why a skyscraper, in excellent repair, would collapse like that. No one, that
is, except you.”

I fight the urge to bolt for the door as
he leans down, palms flat on the table, so close I can make out the creases on
his dark suit. “You warned us of an attack in that area two weeks ago. How did
you know?”

I suck in a deep breath as his voice
lowers, dark fists tightening on the edge of the table. “Are you involved with
a terrorist organization?”

I almost laugh at his words, at how they
couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’m here to save LA, not destroy it. To
save everyone. And I don’t have much time—none of us do. If I can’t gain this
man’s trust, a shattered building is nothing compared to what will come next.

“No, sir.” I shove my shaking hands
beneath my legs as I glimpse a pair of lucid blue eyes over the agent’s
shoulder. They shouldn’t be there—and I know not to stare. But those eyes that
only I can see are the reason I warned the FBI in the first place. Their owner
the reason I’m even sitting in this room.

Licking my lips, I keep my attention on
Barstow. I’ve wanted this for years. Someone to listen. Really listen. And it’s
the FBI, no less. Be careful here.

When I open my mouth, the words are calm
and steady. I hope they’re convincing—they have to be convincing. “I knew about
the incident, Agent Barstow, because my friend warned me.” Throat suddenly dry,
I look away. “My imaginary friend.

About Kara:

As the daughter of missionaries, KARA
SWANSON spent sixteen years of her young life in the jungles of Papua New Guinea.
Able to relate with characters dropped suddenly into a unique new world, she
quickly fell in love with the speculative genre and was soon penning stories
herself.

At seventeen, she independently
published a fantasy novel, Pearl of
Merlydia. She has since published many articles, including one in the Encounter magazine. Kara received the
Mount Hermon Most Promising Teen Writer
Award in 2015. You can find her on Facebook as Kara Swanson, Author, or
attempting to be artistic over on Instagram (@karaswanson_author). When she’s
not creating new stories and placing characters in peril, she’s probably
binge-watching Marvel movies, playing with her huskies, reading till two in the
morning or experimenting with a dairy-free mocha Frappuccino (skills, I’m
telling you).

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Daybreak (Girl from the Stars #1)

by Cheree Alsop

Publication date: October 7, 2015

Genres: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis

Liora Day, half-human, half mess-with-her-and-you’ll-die Damaclan, had been thrown onto a rough path at a very early age. But when she is broken out of a cage by Devren, the young captain of the SS Kratos, she is shown that perhaps humanity does have a heart. The Kratos is set on a mission to rescue fallen surveyors from the Revolutionaries, and Liora is given the choice to follow her Damaclan instincts, or trust Devren’s dark eyes and captivating smile that promise an adventure unlike any she has ever experienced.

About Cheree Alsop

Cheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling author who has published over 30 books, including two series through Stonehouse Ink. She is the mother of a beautiful, talented daughter and amazing twin sons who fill every day with joy and laughter. She is married to her best friend, Michael, the light of her life and her soulmate who shares her dreams and inspires her by reading the first drafts and giving much appreciated critiques. Cheree is a fulltime author and mother, which is more play than work! She enjoys reading, traveling to tropical beaches, spending time with her children, and going on family adventures while planning her next book. Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great quests, and never stop dreaming. You can find Cheree's other books at www.chereealsop.com

Excerpt

Liora twisted the bent end inward until she felt the teeth slide free. She slipped the bar from the handcuff and let it fall off her wrist. In two more seconds, the other cuff was on the floor.

The lock of her cage proved to be more difficult. Luckily, Liora had the two pieces of the tweezers to work with. She bent the second one to match the angle of the first. Following the same steps the apprentice had done so many times, Liora pushed the bent end of the first piece into the lock opposite the pins. She turned it slowly upward until it was in tension.

Inserting the second piece, Liora raked it slowly along the pins. The small metal on metal sound set Liora’s nerves on end. If Malivian found out what she was doing, she would be tortured again. The voice in the back of her mind whispered that perhaps she wouldn’t survive a second round.

A subtle, metallic click sounded. Liora’s heart jumped. She pushed at the bars. Her breath caught in her throat when the door swung outward. Liora stepped onto the cold floor and stumbled lightheadedly. She caught herself on the next cage, pushed upright, and ran down the hall.

The alarm sounded when she hit the button for the hatch to open. As soon as the gap was wide enough, Liora jumped out. Her feet, then her knees, hit the deck of Gaulded Zero Twenty-One. She shoved up to her feet once more and ran past the other starships.

Even at the late hour, the Gaulded’s landing deck was filled with activity. It appeared the Kratos and Kirkos weren’t the only ships who had been attacked. Blow torches, plasma cutters, and blazers filled the contained air inside the Gaulded’s hold with the acrid scent of metal. The sound of mallets and hand saws sounded from every corner.

Crew members of the ships Liora passed turned to watch her go. She felt conspicuous and alone as she darted between space crafts and around repair gear. A giant pallet of artillery swung over her head. Liora ducked and made her way along the stripped hull of a Copper Crow painted to look like an iridescent fish. The name Space Poseidon glowed near the hatch.

Liora ran around the corner and slammed into Devren.

“I was about to come looking for you—” he began.

Tariq cut him off. “Dev, her face.”

Devren gently pushed her back so he could see her better. Liora dropped her gaze at his gentle probing.

“Malivian did this to you?” he asked.

The anger in his voice made Liora look up. Devren appeared ready to kill someone.

“Calm down,” Tariq told him. “Let’s get her to the ship. It’s the only place we’ll have leverage.”

Devren put a protective arm around Liora. Tariq walked behind them like a bodyguard. Liora felt as though she had entered some different reality. Somehow, even with the thought of Malivian coming after her, she felt safe between the two humans who had entered her life by accident.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Hey Nerds, Today, I'd like to introduce Amanda as a new contributor here at Book Nerd Paradise. She has so kindly volunteered to write reviews for the blog, and together we're going to be able to bring you even more awesome authors to check out! So, get your scroll on an check out her first review below.Happy reading.

Destiny Blues (Hand of Fate #1)

Sharon Joss

Some people attract stray cats. With Mattie Blackman, it's demons. At
work, in her car, even at the foot of her bed. And with the FBI on the
hunt for a rogue demon master, she's desperate to get rid of them.
Thwarted at every turn to solve her problem through legitimate channels,
she turns to Shore Haven's sexy mage for the answer: a fate she refuses
to accept.

But as the serial killer's victims pile up, Mattie
realizes there's only one way to stop a demon master. To save her
friends and the people she loves, Mattie must choose between her life
and her destiny.

My thoughts

I really like a story that starts in the middle of things, and Destiny
Blues definitely delivers. The first chapter introduces us to Mattie
Blackburn and we learn three things about her right off the bat: She’s
single, she likes to follow the rules, and she’s just figured out she’s
attracting demons.

While Mattie doesn’t like to step outside the
law, her demons (or pre-demons, as they aren’t fully developed) have
other ideas. Their presence causes Mattie a huge headache and puts her
hard earned job with the city at risk. Little does Mattie know, she’s
going to face an even bigger dilemma when some of the missing pieces of
her past start falling into place.

The thing that made this story
work for me was the character of Mattie. I’m not normally a fan of
stories told in the first person, but in this case it worked. Mattie is
self aware enough to realize her own short comings, but she doesn’t lack
confidence. She’s also funny and honest so I didn’t mind being inside
her head.

The other characters are also pretty interesting, but
perhaps not as well developed. I liked Rhys, the really gorgeous mage
who Mattie seeks out when she can’t get rid of her demons, but I didn’t
feel an immediate spark between him and Mattie - and I really wanted to.
I did find that their relationship improved as the story progressed and
I really like them together. I think I wanted to see more tension
between them at their first meetings. It seems like this relationship
will play out in the future books and that’s something to look forward
to, especially as Rhys only gets more interesting as the story
progresses.

At its heart, Destiny Blues is a murder mystery, and
while that’s what drives the story, the questions about Mattie, her
past, and her future role are where the reader will likely get the
bigger payoff. While this story features adult characters, the plot is
fairly PG (some violence and suggestive language) and would be
acceptable for mature YA and NA readers.

Paradise in musty pages

This blog is for those of you who are big book nerds, always looking for something new to read. It's also a place for self-publishers to get some feedback or publicity on their work. I will be posting recommendations on books ranging from bestsellers to hidden gems, from professionals to amateur writers. At Book Nerd Paradise anyone is welcome to discuss books, writers or any idea you're throwing around for your own stories.

Everyone is welcome to send me any recommendations you have of your own. You can email me at writingchamp34@gmail.com or follow me on twitter @bnerdparadise